Stop-motion mechanism for knitting-machines.



l. W. GROTHEY.

STOP MOTION MECHANISM FOR KNITTING MACHINES.

APPPICATION FILED 0011,1910.

Patented Jan. 11, 1916.

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of 1 Wu 7 Z 30 T'Q THE coLuMmA- PLANoGgAPx-i co., A n

I. W. GROTHEY.

STOP MOTION MECHANISM FOR KNITTING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 1, mo.

1 1 68, 1 94. Patented Jan. 11, 1916.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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Z if Q. 59%- I. w. SRO-THEY.

STOP MOTION MECHANISM FOR KNITTING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 1. 1910.

1.,168,1 94. Patented Jan. 11, 1916.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3. 6E

I. W. GROTHEY.

STOP MOTION MECHANISM FOR KNITTING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 1. I910.

1,168,19. Patented Jan. 11, 1916.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

' UNTTE IVERN W. GROTHEY, OF YORK, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO GENERAL MACHINE WORKS, OF YORK, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

STOP-MOTION MECHANISM FOR KNITTING-MACHINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 11, 1916.

Application filed October 1, 1910. Serial No. 584,874.

and useful Improvements in Stop-Motion Mechanism for Knitting-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My said invention consists in various improvements in the details of construction and arrangement of parts of stop motion mechanism for knitting machines, whereby such a mechanism is provided of comparatively few parts and of a construction that is light and inexpensive, while, at the same time. very eflicient in operation and results, all as will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

Referring to the accompanying drawings which are made a part hereof and on which similar reference characters indicate similar partsflFigure l is a perspective view of the upper end of a knitting machine showing my stop motion mechanism in position thereon, Fig. 2 a detail rear elevation on an enlarged scale of the lower end of said stop motion mechanism, Fig. 3 a cross section through the same on the dotted line 33, showing the parts in the position they occupy as when the stop motion is set to stop the machine. Fig. 1 a view similar-to Fig.

-3 showing the parts in the position they occupy when the machine is in operation, Fig. 5 a detail front elevation on an enlarged scale of the part carrying the yarn supporting fingers. Fig. 6 a side elevation of the same, Fig. 7 a view showing the same portion illustrated in Fig. 6, but chiefly in section, to illustrate the interior construction and arrangement, Fig. 8 a detail side elevation of the extreme top of the yarn supporting mechanism, Fig. 5) a rear ele vation of the same, and Figs. 10, 11, 12 and 13 detail views.

In said drawings the portions marked A represent the frame of the machine and B the main base plate of the stop motion mechanism.

The knitting machine shown is of a type such as is used for knitting stockings, etc., and comprises a frame A of the usual, or any approved construction, supporting a knitting head A (shown only in diagrammatic form) and other parts required for the operation of the machine. as shown in Fig. 1, but not necessarily described except as to those parts relating immediately to the stop motion mechanism. The main driving shaft 1 is provided with a handwheel 2 by which it may be turned by hand to bring the parts of the mechanism to any position, or adjustment, desired. It is provided with an idler pulley 3 and a driving pulley 1 alongside of said idler pulley from which it may be driven by any suitable or convenient power. with a brake pulley or wheel 5, which is surrounded by a hand brake 6, the two ends of which are connectedto adjacent pins projecting from the side of a lever 7. Said lever 7 is mounted on a pivot 8 projecting from a suitable bracket 9 on the top of the machine frame A. Said lever is also provided with an outwardly projecting arm 10 and a heavy coiled spring 11 is connected at one end to the outer end of said arm and at its other end to a hook-shaped clip 12, which is adapted to hook under an appropriate part of the machine frame, as in an opening in one of the legs, as shown in Fig. 1. The tension of said spring is normally exerted to turn said lever 7 on its pivot in a direction to contract said band brake to impinge upon the surface of brake wheel Projecting oppositely from arm 10 on the lower end of lever 7 is another arm 13, the outer end of which is pointed and adapted to engage in a notch in the upper end of a pivoted keeper 11 which is mounted on a pivot 15 on the base of the bracket 9. Said keeper 14 has a link 16 also mounted on said pivot 15 and adapted to turn rearwardly on said pivot independent of said keeper, but held to move in a forward direction with said keeper by means of an intereng'aging connection between a notch therein and a projection on its lower end. A weight 17 is formed on the front side of said keeper at its lower corner, adapted to normally overbalance its upper end and hold it forward in position to engage the point of arm 13 of lever 7. The lower end of link 16 isconnected by a connecting rod 18 with a crank-arm 28 on the rock-shaft 30 of the stopmotion mechanism, as will be presently described.

A belt shifter is provided consisting of a base block 20 mounted on a rod 21, mounted to slide in a horizontal perforation through a boss 22 on the side of the machine It is also provided :by hand.

frame and carrying an arm 23 with parallel arms 24 extending at right angles therewith and adapted to embrace the belt, as shown most clearly in Fig. 1. Said sliding rod 21 extends through the machine frame, and has a notch n in its inner end adapted to engage with a catch 0 on a latch 25 mounted on a pivot p. 'Said pivoted latch 25 is connected by a connecting rod 26 with a crank-arm 27 on the stop motion mechanism rock-shaft 30. A spring 8 interposed between an upwardly projecting arm (Z of latch 25 and a lug a on the machine frame serves to normally hold the outer end of said latch upward and a collar 0 on rod 26, secured by a set-screw, may be adjusted to secure proper contact between the parts. A handle h on the inner end of latch 25 may be used to operate it A lever L pivoted on a lug b engages at its upper end behind a pin a on the side of rod 21 at its inner end and serves as the means for throwing the driving belt from the idler to the driving pulley after the stop motion mechanism has been set.

The stop motion mechanism proper comprises the base plate B attached to the top plate or ring of the frame A, as shown most clearly in Fig. 1, and having a rock-shaft 30 mounted in bearings formed in ears on the under side of said plate. It has the crank-arm 27 connected by the connecting rod 26, as before described, to the belt shifter releasing latch 25, and another crank-arm 28 connected, as before described, by the link 18 to the brake setting mechanism. It is provided with a stiff coiled spring 31 connected thereto at one end by a screw 32, and at the other end engaged behind an adjacent ear on the lower face of bracket B, in which it is journaled. The tension of said spring is such as-to cause the shaft to turn to throw the parts into the position shown in Fig. 3 when it is released from the locking mechanism. Said shaft is provided on one end with a lever, or handle, 33 by which it may be turned by hand. An arm 34 is rigidly secured to said shaft by means of a set-screw 35, or in any other approved manner. The outer end of said arm is provided with a transverse pin. 36. A catchplate 37 is mounted on a pivot 38 on the underside of plate B, being formed with a slot .9 in which said pin 36 on lever 34 is adapted to engage and run. 'At one end of said slot is formed a hook-point, or catch, 39, with which said 'pin is adapted to engage,'and by which it will be held locked in the position shown in Fig. 4 until it is released. The other end of said slot is adapted to stop pin 36 and limit the motion of the rock-shaft, and hold it from turning unduly after the catch is released. i

A yarn supporting upright is provided consisting of two tubular posts 40 and 41,

iaesnoa mounted in suitable sockets b 72 on the to receive said uvaer ends as shown most clearly in Fig. 8. It is secured on said upper ends by means of set-screws 43. On the outer end of said arm 42 are pivoted disks 44 having outwardly turned hooks 45 to support the yarn. On the rear side of the base of arm 42, between the tubular posts 40 and 41 are pivoted base-plates 46 which carry upwardly projecting yarn supports 47 having hook-shaped upper ends 49. Said base-plates 46 are formedwith shoulders in their upper edges adapted, when in upright position, to contact with stop pins 50 proj ecting transversely from the opposite edges of plate 60. The lowerends of said baseplates are formed with downwardly projecting arms 51 connected by connecting rods 52 with the disks 44 on the outer end of arm 42, and at their extreme lower ends are connected by coiled springs 53 with the upper ends of levers 54. which are mounted on pivots on the opposite sides of post 40, near its upper end. Below the pivots 55 said arms 54 are formed with bearing plates 56 against which adjusting set-screws 57, mounted in screw-threaded perforations in .a cross-head 58 on post 40, are adapted to bear. Said cross-head 58 is secured in position on post 40 by means of a set-screw 59. By means of the adjusting screws 57, arms 54 may be adjusted to regulate the tension of springs 53 and thereby determine the force required for the tilting of yarn supports 47. The upper edges of the baseplates 51 bear against the transverse pins 50, which transverse pins are mounted in the edges of a plate 60 mounted on the top :of the base of arm 42 on a horizontal pivot 61. A wire 62 extends through the vertical tubular post 41 being connected at its upper end to a cap 63 by means of a set-screw 64, said cap '63 resting upon the outer end of pivoted plate 60. The lower end of said lever 64 which extends through a slot in the side of said tube 41, midway .of its height,

being mounted on a pivot 65 in a central cross-head 66 by which said tubes 40 and 41 are rigidly connected and braced midway of their height. The outer end of lever 64 is formed with a hook-shaped point adapted to engage with the end of a bell-cranklever 67 mounted on apivot 68, the opposite end of which extends within tube 40 and is connected to a wire 69 which extends down through said tube 40 and is connected to a screw or pin 70 on the side of the catch-plate 37 to one side of its pivot 38. Above the inner end of lever 67 within tube 40 is mounted a coiled spring 71 the lower end of which is connected to the inner end of said lever 67 and the upper end of which extends in the form of a straight wire to the top of tal fingers 78 adapted to pass between the fingers 76 on the arm 75 and provide the usual dropping detector for yarn breakage,

' the yarn being threaded between the hori- Zontal fingers of said pivoted and stationary arms. Other levers '79 and 80 are respectively mounted on pivots 81 in, a recess in the underside of the transverse arms 66 the outer ends of said levers projecting beyond the ends of said arms and in the path of the arms 77 when they fall. The inner ends of said arms project under lever 64, the inner end of one lever preferably overlapping the other, as shown most clearly in Fig. Knot catchers 82 are mounted on the underside of the arm 66 through which the yarn is threaded before it passes between the fingers 76 and 78 of the arms 75 and 77.

The machine is shown in Fig. 1, standing idle, with the stop motion mechanism set as when the machine is running. To start the machine in operation it is only necessary to throw the belt shifting rod 21 by means of lever L to carry the driving belt from idler pulley 3 to the driving pulley 4, when the catch 0 on latch 25 will engage with notch 11 in the sliding rod 21' and hold said belt shifter in position with the driving belt on the driving pulley. The machine is threaded as shown in Fig. 1, the spools 85 and 86 being mounted on spindles S7 and 88 which extend up from bases supported on the outer ends of transverse arms 89 and 90 secured in sockets in the outer ends of a boss 91 on the top of base B at its rear edge. The threads 92 and 93 pass through the knot catchers 82 on the underside of the arms 66, then pass through between the fingers 76 and 78, thence up over the hooks 49 on the arms 47, thence over the hooks 45 on the outer edges of the disks 44, and thence to the knitting-head A A knot or obstruction in either thread 92 or 93 will catch in one of the knot catchers 82 and cause the feed of the yarn to be retarded and as the knitting proceeds the thread between said knot catchers and the knittinghead will be shortened drawing the pivoted arm 47 supporting it over, until the plate 60 is lifted by the cam edge of base plate 46 so that, through its connection by the wire 62,

lever 64 is raised and the connection is broken between the outer end of said lever point 39 back out of engagement with the pin 36 in the arm 34, when spring 31will expand and rock the shaft 30, and through the crank-arms 27 and 28 release, first the latch 25 that holds the sliding belt shifter 21 and permit spring 21. to eXpand and slide the same to shift the driving belt automatically from the driving pulley 4 to the idler pulley 3. Immediately following this operation the keeper 14 is thrown off the point 13 of lever 7 by means of connecting rod 18 and crank-arm 28 and band brake 6 is closed upon the brake wheel 5 and the machine brought to a sudden stop. If either of the threads should break during the operation, the arm 77 supported by said thread would immediately fall, contacting with the outer end of the lever 79 or 80, as the case might be, throwing the inner end of said lever upward and again disengaging the connection between levels 64" and 67 and permitting spring '71 to' act as before to stop the ma chine \Vhen'arms 47 are tilted over by a. knotor obstruction in the thread, as above described, a connecting rod 52 operates to turn the appropriate disk 44 and its hook "45, as well as the hook 49 on the tilting arm 47 are thrown over into position to allow the thread to slip off without breaking and the stop motion operates to stop the machine before the slack can be knitted into the work. After the trouble has been remedied, the thread is again threaded over the supports, the stop motion mechanism set by turnlng rock-shaft 30 by means of lever 33 until pin 36 rests in catch 39. Thebrake is thrown off by lever 7, the point'13 engaging with keeper14 and holding said brakeloose on the brake wheel. The belt shifter 21 is then thrownby lever L to carry the driving belt (not shown) from idler pulley 3 to driving pulley 4, when the machine starts and the work proceeds, asbefore, until another break or obstruction sets off the stop motion mechanism as before described. The operation "is repeated from time'to time as the necessity therefor occurs.

By this means a positive and quick acting, but at the same time comparatively sim-.

connection between one of said crank-arms and the drive controlling mechanism, a con- 'nection between another of said arms and the brake controlling mechanism, means for holding said rock-shaft under tension and actuating it, a pivoted catch arranged to engage another arm on said rock-shaft to secure it in set position, a tubular upright carrying the yarn supports, a connection running through said tubular support between said pivoted catch and means for actuating it, said means, a catch for locking said means against operating, tilting thread supports, and a. connection from said tilting thread supports to said catch for releasing it and setting off said mechanism upon the tilting or falling of one of said thread supports, substantially as set forth.

2. Astop motion mechanism for knitting machines comprising an automatically operating-belt shifter for the driving belt, an automatically operating brake mechanism, a catch for holding said belt shifter mechanism set, a catch for holding said brake mechanism set, a rock-shaft, means for holding said rock-shaft under tension and operating it, several crank-arms on said'rockshaft, an operative connection between one of said crank-arms and the catch for holding the belt shifter mechanism, a connection between another of said crank-arms and the catch for holding the brake mechanism, a pivoted catch for holding said rock-shaft in set position, means connected with the yarn supports for tripping said catch, and. said yarn supports mounted to pivot and set off said mechanism, substantially as set forth.

3. A stop motion mechanism for knitting machines comprising drive controlling means, brake mechanism, a rock-shaft operatively connected by a separate connection to each for operating them, means for holding said rock-shaft under tension and operating it, means for locking said shaft in set position, a tri mechanism connected with said locking means consisting of a spring set under tension and controlled by a catch, the yarn supports mounted to pivot, and a connection running from said yarn supports to said catch for tripping it, substantially as set forth.

4. A stop motion mechanism for knitting machines, comprising drive controlling mechanism, brake mechanism, a rock-shaft with crank-arms operatively connected by a separate connection to each, means for applying tension to said rock-shaft and operating it, means for holding said rock-shaft in set position, a tubular upright carrying the yarn supports, said yarn supports pivoted on said upright, a spring in'said tubular support connected at one end with a fixed support and at its other end with a trip mechanism, said trip mechanism connected with the means for holding the rock shaft in set position, and connections running from said pivoted yarn supports to said trip mechanism, whereby the tilting of one of said yarn supports will operate said trip mechanism and permit the spring to release the means for holding said rock-shaft and said rockshaft to operate under its tension applying means to shift the driving means and apply the brake, substantially as set forth.

5. A stop motion mechanism comprising drive controlling mechanism, brake mechanism, a rock-shaft under tension directly connected thereto for controlling said mechanisms, locking. devices for securing said mechanisms in set position, a tubular upright on the machine, pivoted yarn supports on said upright, a spring within said tubular upright connected to normally operate to release said locking devices, a trip mechanism connected with said spring to hold it under tension, and a connection running from said pivoted yarn supports to said trip mechanism, whereby the tilting of either yarn support will set ofi said trip mechanism and permit the spring to set 01f the stop motion mechanism, substantially as set forth.

6. A. stop motion mechanism for knitting machines comprising a drive controlling mechanism, a brake mechanism, a rock-shaft journaled in bearings on a base secured to the frame of the machine, crank-arms on said rock-shaft, a connection running from one of said crank-arms to the drive controlling mechanism, a connection running from another of said crank-arms to the brake mechanism, a catch plate pivoted on said base adjacent to another arm on said rockshaft, said plate being formed with a slot with a catch at one end and a stop at the other and said arm having a pin engaging with said slot and adapted to run therein to engage with its catch to lock said shaft in one position or with the opposite end of said slot to limit its motion in its other direction, 'a spring for normally holding said pivoted catch-plate turned on its pivot to release its catch from the pin, a catch for holding said spring from acting, pivoted yarn supports, and connections from said yarn supports to said catch for releasing it when one of, said supports tilts or falls, substantially as set forth.

7. A stop motion mechanism for knitting machines, comprising a drive controlling mechanism, a brake mechanism, a rock shaft with crank-arms, separate operative connections between said several crankarms and said mechanisms, means for applying tension to said rock-shaft and operating it, a catch-plate pivoted adjacent to said rock-shaft to hold the same in set position, an upright carrying the yarn supports, said yarn supports mounted on said upright part to fall when a thread breaks and part to tilt under any undue tension on a-thread, a spring mounted on said upright and connected under tension to said pivoted catch plate to normally hold it from engaging with its catch the holding part on the rockshaft, a trip mechanism connected to said spring to take the strain of its tension off said catch-plate, and a connection running from means operated by each of said yarn supports to said trip mechanism, whereby the tilting or falling of either yarn support will set off the stop motion mechanism, substantially as set forth.

8. In a stop motion mechanism, the combination, with the drive controlling mechanism and the brake mechanism, of a rock shaft mounted under spring tension, operative connections between said rock-shaft and said mechanisms, separate means for locking said rock-shaft in set position, and means for releasing said locking means comprising a spring connected with a trip mechanism to hold it from operating when set, the pivoted yarn supports, said trip mechanism, and connections running from said yarn supports to said trip mechanism, substantially as set forth.

9. In a stop motion mechanism for knitting machines, the combination, of a drive controlling mechanism, a brake mechanism, a spring mounted rock-shaft operatively and directly connected to control said mechanisms, means for holding said rock-shaft in set position, and means for tripping said holding means comprising a spring held under tension by a trip mechanism, said trip mechanism, operating connections running to the yarn supports, and said yarn supports, substantially as set forth.

10. In a stop motion mechanism forknitting machines, the combination of a drive controlling mechanism, a brake mechanism, a. rock-shaft mounted under spring tension and operatively connected to separately control each of said mechanisms, means for locking said shaft with the mechanism in set position, and means for tripping said locking means comprising a spring held by a trip mechanism under tension, said trip mechanism, yarn supports adapted to fall when a thread breaks, other yarn supports adapted to tilt when either thread is under undue tension, mechanism for setting off said trip mechanism, and connections between said yarn supports and said setting off mechanism, substantially as set forth.

11. In a stop motion mechanism for knitting machines, the combination, of the drive controlling mechanism, the brake mechanism, a rock-shaft operatively connected to control each of said mechanisms, means for applying tension to said rock-shaft and operating it, means for locking said rockshaft in set position, and means for tripping said locking means comprising a levers mounted with one end in position to operate said trip mechanism and the other end in the path of said supports when they fall, substantially as set forth.

12. A stop motion mechanism comprising a belt shifter for the drive belt, a spring for automatically operating said belt shifter when released, means for holding said belt shifter under tension with the belt on the driving pulley, a brake adapted to engage with a brake wheel and stop the machine, a spring for normally setting said brake, means for holding said spring under tension with the brake off, a rock-shaft with crank-arms, an operative connection leading from one crank-arm to the belt shifter holding device, a connection leading from another crank-arm to the brake spring holding device, means for applying tension to said rock-shaft and operating it, means for locking said rock-shaft with the parts in set position, and means for tripping said locking means by the break or undue tension of a thread of the yarn, substantially as set forth.

13. A stop motion mechanism for knitting machines comprising an automatically operating drive controlling mechanism, and automatically operating brake mechanism, devices for holding each of said mechanisms from operating when the machine is in operation, a direct operative connection between each of said devices and a rock-shaft, said rock-shaft, means for applying tension to said rock-shaft and operating it, means for holding said shaft with the parts in set position, a tubular upright for the yarn supports, said yarn supports, and connections running from said yarn supports through said tubular upright to trip said holding means upon the tilting or fall of one of said yarn supports, substantially as set forth.

In witness whereof, I, have hereunto set my hand and seal at York, Pennsylvania this 12th day of September, A. D. nineteen hundred and ten.

DONALD S'r. Yos'r, JACOB E. VVnAvnn.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0,. 

